It can hurt to let go, but sometimes holding on hurts even more.
Shotgun:
Over the years, I’d taken some pretty hard hits. Hell, some were hard enough to break a man, and they had damn near broken me. My past haunted me, consuming me with rage, guilt, and regret.
As the Ruthless Sinners’ enforcer, I held those dark feelings close, used them to keep my brothers and the club out of harm’s way. It wasn’t easy, especially when there was always someone itching to take us down. The same held true on the night that the mysterious Remington Taylor was left for dead at our door step.
One look at her had me questioning everything.
She was in a league of her own, beautiful and smart, and had a strength like no one I’d ever known. This woman was going to ruin me—make me feel things I’d buried a long time ago. I could see it in her eyes, feel it in her touch, but I still let her draw me in.
For the first time in my life, the pain of holding on was greater than the fear of letting go.
Holding On is Shotgun’s story and book two in the Ruthless Sinners series. While it’s part of a series, it can be read as a standalone. This addition to the Ruthless Sinner’s MC will have you rooting for forgiveness, mended hearts, and second chances. These bikers are foul-mouthed, possessive alphas who will do whatever it takes to protect their women. No cheating and a HEA.
Oh my god this book was smoking hot. Shotgun sees Remington standing in the doorway at a bar one night and he's feeling things he hasn't felt in forever. But then the thoughts are gone. Then one night he finds a body in the dumpster at the club. Guess what its her the girl at the bar. Now his mission is to save her and find out why
I didn't like this one. It wasn't particularly bad but I didn't think that the heroine made sense in how she just accepted everything and also the fact that she recovered from almost death in no time.
Her falling for the male MC was preposterous and I also absolutely hated how he wouldn't communicate with her nor give her any information at all.
He treated her like a child. The reason of "club business" didn't fly with me. I deeply disliked the male MC and his toxic masculinity shall I call it?! It wasn't alpha or possessive, it was disrespectful and I consider him to be weak and insecure. He needed a pretty face and body with no personality, not a woman. And he did get just that.
Holding On was the second book in L Wilder’s Ruthless Sinners MC series.
Shotgun was the enforcer within the MC. He was the go to guy when they needed to extract information or punishment. He wasn’t a kind guy but his loyalty saw no limits. And unfortunately, he had experienced too much death in his life for it not to affect him.
Remington was in the wrong place at the wrong time and had been left for dead. She was found by the Sinners and the story began.
I thoroughly enjoyed the suspenseful nature of the storyline. It was intriguing and kept me turning the pages quickly. I also enjoyed how everything played out in the end. It was a complex and multi-faceted story that Wilder brought full circle within the conclusion. And true to form with Wilder, it was well written, well developed and entertaining.
As to the characters, I loved both Shotgun and Remington. I didn’t love Shotgun’s reactions most of the time, but he had enough soft spots that I was able to overlook his faults. Wilder also further developed the MC characters demonstrating the family bond through the various personalities. Lastly, Wilder closed with a detailed epilogue for a peak into the future. I totally can’t wait for the series to continue.
First off I would like to say that is one hot cover! Smoking hot! We have to say that we really enjoyed this story as the story had constant suspense and tons of drama from beginning to end and everything in between.
The story was filled with a cast of awesome characters we loved them all and the villains we were the scum of the earth. Shotgun we, loved him from the moment we met him we loved his compassionate and caring nature, and we loved his protectiveness and possessiveness. Remington was a pleasant surprise we loved her as she was everything opposite of what you thought she would be. We admired her tenacity for going after her man to wear him down once and for all! Beautiful, sexy, and wholesome.
Overall this was one emotional tale that was filled with a lot of drama and a lot of love. The plot drew you right in and kept us there to the very end. We really enjoyed this tale and its characters and the ending utter perfection.
OMG...did I FLOVE Remington and Shotgun, aka Noah:) HIs storyline was soooo heartbreaking and yet he had such a soft side to him underneath all of that heartbreak!!!! Remington was totally awesome and I loved that she was "normal" and no baggage and that the love she developed for him was so true and so pure....OMG the two of these together....FIVE ALARM FIRE, I was squirming in my seat with every intimate scene they had and I could feel through my kindle the love, the lust, the devotion, the EVERYTHING these two felt for each other, it was brilliantly done and played out!!!!!
Leslie Wilder never stops outdoing herself with each book she writes. Her Ruthless Sinners MC is one of the BEST spinoff series I've ever read. The main characters, Remington (such a cool name) and Shotgun, are so good together.
The brothers in the MC are badass AF, and some of the scenes are a bit brutal, just like they should be. When someone messes with the MC or one of their women, there are consequences to pay. Leslie does an outstanding job balancing club life and romance while keeping her characters true to themselves. I can never get enough of these guys.
Five stars aren't enough. I highly recommend this one.
Shotgun is one tough guy. Kinda has to be the be the clubs Enforcer. He’s has a rough past and letting go is not one of his best features. I felt it was always holding him back from moving on But maybe being held back is what he needed til her meets Remington. I just loved these two together. She really awakens something in him from their first meeting til when he finds her and she needs his help. I love the interaction with the club members, laughed my self silly at how they talk to each other. They care for another but will bust each other’s chops when needed
I feel this is probably this authors best series so far.
I has a great storline, great characters, passion, action, drama.
And that epilogue....probably was one of my favorite parts!!!! I loved it and getting to see into the future alittle ways!!!!
Merged review:
Shotgun
Shotgun is one tough guy. Kinda has to be the be the clubs Enforcer. He’s has a rough past and letting go is not one of his best features. I felt it was always holding him back from moving on But maybe being held back is what he needed til her meets Remington. I just loved these two together. She really awakens something in him from their first meeting til when he finds her and she needs his help. I love the interaction with the club members, laughed my self silly at how they talk to each other. They care for another but will bust each other’s chops when needed
I feel this is probably this authors best series so far.
I has a great storline, great characters, passion, action, drama.
And that epilogue....probably was one of my favorite parts!!!! I loved it and getting to see into the future alittle ways!!!!
Holding On truly represents this book and everything about it. I was absolutely blown away by it and felt the connections between the characters and their pain and chemistry and a bond that goes deep into your soul and thats what makes this book absolutely perfect. Shotgun aka Noah absolutely stoled my heart and made me want to reach through my kindle and just hold him. His life has been nothing but pain and loss and living with survivors guilt something I know all to well and Leslie did an amazing job with his character. Remington is a strong woman and sometimes can let her guard down but she's no pushover thats for sure and thats what Noah needs . What happens when you go out on a blind date with a internal investigator for the police and your both beaten and you're stabbed and thrown away like trash left for death Only to be found by the Ruthless Sinners ? Shotgun couldn't believe what he was seeing but can he get her to the clubhouse without being followed and praying she hangs on ? This book has twists and turns and a dirty Cop who is wanting to destroy the Ruthless Sinners. Leslie Wilder you absolutely blew this book out of the water and I absolutely loved it.
OK. I admit it. The cover got to me. The model’s soulful eyes and the photographer’s inventive lighting were things of excellence. I had been reading one stinker after another that were so bad, I wasn’t reviewing them because they were not worth my time. This book was a refreshing change.
Shotgun (birth name, Noah) is the enforcer of the Ruthless Sinners motorcycle club (MC). Remington is a woman caught in the crosshairs of an urban war involving a dirty outlaw MC (the East End Punishers), even dirtier cops, some good cops, and some of the Ruthless Sinners brothers.
There are some unfortunate inconsistencies. Remington, after being beaten (not a spoiler, it happens at the beginning of the book and is crucial to the story), finds herself in the hospital where (after suffering from temporary amnesia) she finally remembers what happened to her and tells Shotgun. Just a bit later Shotgun narrates, “I’d gone to the infirmary this morning to see if she’d remembered what had happened, but it was clear that she didn’t.” Actually, what was clear is that she had remembered and told him all about the beating. I’m wondering if the writer had a moment of pentimento and wrote over a scene but did not adjust the timeline?
Also, McKinney is a member of the East End Punisher MC who tells Shotgun “I knew trying to take you guys [the Ruthless Sinners] out wasn’t the answer. Instead, it’d be the end." Later, McKinney tells Shotgun, “You have to be crazy to try something like that" [i.e., permanently put an end to the East End Punishers MC], and “You need to really think about this, man. This isn’t a game you can win.” So, first McKinney thinks the Ruthless Sinners are powerful enough to stop the East End Punishers permanently, and then he doesn’t.
Remington, seeing one of the men who tried to kill her now chained up, is afraid and says the man is waiting to kill her. Hmmm…don’t think so. Shotgun has him in chains and the man isn’t in a position to hurt anyone. Remington’s fear was a device used by the writer to get Shotgun to open up to Remington.
At one point, Shotgun tells Remington, “You know, you still haven’t answered my question.” This was said after several pages of conversation and Shotgun hadn’t asked a question; he’d been telling Remington about his fear of letting people get close. This causes the reader to go back searching for a question that doesn’t exist. While Shotgun did ask the question (oh so many, many pages ago), “do you trust me or not?” the reply she presumably is giving doesn’t seem to answer that question, not directly.
Shotgun has told the story several times about how his girl, the love of his life, was killed. He keeps maintaining that if he had been the one driving, everyone would have been just fine. Why has no one mentioned the obvious fact that if he had been driving, he could easily have been killed, too?
The romance between Shotgun and Remington is odd. While there is the dutiful sex, there is no real passion. He’s something of a neanderthal and she is overly accepting of whatever happens to her/him/them. It just doesn’t work. He came across as much too surly, non-communicative, emotionally abusive then regretful but doing nothing to make it right. She came across as a passive Barbie doll. I don’t know…maybe they both got what they wanted and deserved.
The best character in the book was Ada May, everyone’s Momma/Gramma. She is a colorful character to say the least and she is well written: she feels real. One thing got a little old after reading for a few chapters: Ada May had a thick patois and it was sometimes difficult to read. Accents, patois, dialects, and different ways of speaking are difficult to read because they do not flow. Nevertheless, Ada May was a bit of fun.
There are many errors like missing articles (particularly “the”) and there is a problem figuring out who is talking when quotation marks go missing, especially when more than two characters are speaking.
Some additional errors include: “We spotted us….” That’s a headscratcher. Maybe “WHEN SHE spotted us...” but I’m just guessing. “That one right there is whiskey in teacup.” Perhaps “…whiskey in A teacup.” “Office waited for them to park….” Since one of the characters in the scene is a police officer named “Reed,” possibly that should read, “Officer Reed waited for them to park….” There was no one present named “Office.”
The story wasn’t bad, and the writing style is really good, but the chemistry between the two protagonists, Shotgun and Remington, seemed to be missing. They were both pretty. They both had sad stories to tell. There were obligatory sex scenes written well enough. But…something was lacking, some spark that just wasn’t there.
There is a laugh-riot at the end of the book, examples of southern humor. The writer references Tennessee, but we have the same aphorisms here in Texas. We back that up with diamond shaped highway signs that, when the bottom half is flipped up, read “Drive Friendly,” even though we don’t. And this one, too: “The higher the hair, the closer to Heaven.” And I just have to add this little factel: El Paso is closer to Needles, California than it is to Dallas. Yeah, Texas is a big ol’ state.
I rated this book 3 stars, closer to 3½, actually. I liked his writing style and will find more books to read by this writer. I’m looking forward to the next one.
L. Wilder raised the stakes in her Ruthless Sinner MC series with book two, Holding On, for a tense ride that will keep readers caught up in the next of her bikers to risk his heart.
With a solid suspense component to her story Ms. Wilder furthered the well-established edginess of her biker community. Shotgun held the title of club enforcer to the Ruthless Sinner's for a good reason, he kept his feelings close and had built walls around himself that were almost impenetrable. He was a character that felt that he had nothing left to lose because everything he had cared for in the past ended up being taken away from him tragically. Yet even surrounded by his own darkness glimmers of goodness, such as the comradery of his MC brothers, the love of his childhood caretaker Ada and eventually Remington, would catch him off guard and keep him in touch with his humanity. Remington was hope and showed that you do not have to have a tough exterior to be strong. With determination and sass she went after what she wanted. Her comfort zone was tested constantly but she tested the waters with an open mind and heart allowing her to see the tenderness that Shotgun kept hidden in fear of being hurt. This was a good pairing that allowed the strength of Remington's nurtured background to reawaken the nurturing Shotgun knew as a child and permit him to show a softer and more vulnerable side of himself. This writer did a great job of using Ada and the Ruthless Sinners for an added human component to this work. Reinforcing her bikers' gentler sides this author adeptly used these characters as both entertainment and as vehicles for enlightenment to move this couple along in their courtship.
L Wilder writes with depth but one of her areas of expertise is her ability to expand her biker universe to encompass all of her audience. Each of her works has multiple layers offering insight in such a way that both new and old readers have new layers to explore. There is always something special to take away from this author's stories. Continuing to do a fine job of balancing the dark and good sides of her bikers she creates antiheroes that demonstrate that their actions are more than face value. Holding On takes readers on another memorable L. Wilder journey filled with pain but destined for a well-deserved happy ending.
*I was given an advanced copy. All opinions expressed are my own.* *While part of a series this book can be read as a stand alone.*
Holding On is book 2 of the Ruthless Sinners MC Series. It's entertaining and has a solid plot with great world building. This story revolves around Shotgun and Remington. These two meet in the most unlikely way, and there was a pull towards each other from the moment they laid eyes on one another.
Remington is strong, physically and mentally. She's also brave and won't let anyone dictate the outcome of her life. She's willing to go to battle, not only for herself, but for Shotgun too. She knows it's a love worth fighting for.
Shotgun is loyal and caring. He feels deep to his soul. He carries misplaced guilt for things that happened in the past that were beyond his control. He lets fear paralyze him from moving forward and being happy. So instead he remains cold and distant from people he could potentially forge a relationship with in order to protect himself from possibly being hurt.
As the saying goes; "it is better to have loved and lost, then to never have loved at all." Shotgun just needs a little nudge and reminder of this. Unfortunate events bring them together, but in the end it is worth the pain and chaos to gain the love of a lifetime.
I'm really loving this new spin off series! There's a whole new set of brothers that I'm just dying to get know more about. Keep'em coming Leslie, I can't wait for the next book!!!
A pretty good book. One man can only lose so much until he breaks. Shotgun (Noah), and Remington are total opposite. He's a a man who only has sex with a woman for one night and they understand that. He's lost everyone who he has loved so he protects himself and them. Remington is a sweet heart and ready to settle down. On a blind date with a cop who is friends with her best friend someone is looking to get rid of him and she is in the wrong spot at the wrong time. Can Shotgun keep his distance and save Remington at the same time?
Love Leslie's books, and I couldn't wait to read this one. It was a good read i enjoyed it. I liked Remington i think she was a great head strong heroine, and found her match in Shotgun. I really can't wait for the next book in the series.
L. Wilder can pull you into her world and keep you there. The hero needs a good woman, and he finds her in a dumpster. The quest to figure out how she got there and how to help her takes you on twist & turns but end in happiness. Just read it.
This book gave me the steamy MC romance fix I’ve been needing! I’ve read and loved every one of L. Wilder’s book and I loved this one too!
Shotgun has led a life of heartbreak and pain. And even though he’s the Sinners’s enforcer and will do whatever is necessary to take care of his brothers and club business, you still wanna just hold him and love him and show him he deserves love and is still capable of love somewhere deep inside his black heart. And that’s just what Remington does.
When she finds herself at death’s door, it’s Shotgun who saves her. And something about the dark, brooding biker calls to her and she can’t fight the attraction between them. He may be stubborn, but she’s determined not to give up on him and it’s so worth it, especially with the steamy goodness Shotgun delivers.
I really enjoyed these characters and I always LOVE diving into each MC world L. Wilder creates. She’s definitely one of my fav MC romance writers and I can’t wait to read her next book!
Holding on by L. Wilder is a slow burn romance and part of the Ruthless Sinners MC. This story focuses on the characters Shotgun and Remington. Remington and Shotgun have an instant attraction when they meet one night, but their acquaintance with each other is fleeting when Shotgun, the Enforcer of the Ruthless Sinners MC is called away to deal with a problem. Thinking he will never see her again; he is surprised when he finds the same woman fighting for her life in a dumpster.
Remington is in the wrong place at the wrong time and finds herself in a life and death situation, forcing her to stay with the Ruthless Sinners MC until she is healed, she again comes across the man who she had an instant attraction too. But he is a hard but to crack and with her life on the line, she will need to put her trust in him, no matter the secrets that he holds.
Shotgun and Remington’s relationship is a slow burn. There is a lot going on in the story; we learn about the stoic Shotgun’s past and what has made him the way he has. What has led to Remington being beaten as well as what the MC are going to have to do to survive attacks, backstabbers and being on the police’s radar.
There was a lot of emotion in this book, especially from Shotgun and how he felt not only about Remington, but also about his past. Like any good MC, there is also a lot of actions, moments with family and some sexy times between the two main characters. Overall, this was a good read, and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the series has to bring.
L. Wilder sure took me on a rollercoaster ride with Holding On.
Remington took a chance, and that chance almost took her. The horrific attack she had done to her was awful, and then to be just tossed into the trash. One thing about Remington is she is one strong chick! After being attacked she never let it get her down, and I love that about her.
Shotgun went through a loss at such a young age; that he never let anyone get too close. He had a wall built up so strong, but somehow Remington was able to break through
Remington and Shotgun are on my list of favorite couples. The love these two shared was unbelievably beautiful. I couldn’t read this book fast enough. Holding on deserves way more than 5 stars!
Merged review:
What a ride....
L. Wilder sure took me on a rollercoaster ride with Holding On.
Remington took a chance, and that chance almost took her. The horrific attack she had done to her was awful, and then to be just tossed into the trash. One thing about Remington is she is one strong chick! After being attacked she never let it get her down, and I love that about her.
Shotgun went through a loss at such a young age; that he never let anyone get too close. He had a wall built up so strong, but somehow Remington was able to break through
Remington and Shotgun are on my list of favorite couples. The love these two shared was unbelievably beautiful. I couldn’t read this book fast enough. Holding on deserves way more than 5 stars!
This story is intense, suspenseful and action-packed, what more could a girl ask for?! The story was a tad darker than I was expecting from this author but I loved it!! Shotgun and Remington were meant to be get together from first glance. He is meant to be her protector and she is meant to be the light to his darkness. They complement each other in such a way that it only can be destiny. I can’t wait for the next installment of this thrilling Series!!
I have a huge crush on MC enforcers and on this author, lol, as she never fails to give me well developed characters, real life issues, heart, soul, steam and a story that feels like I could step right in. I have been reading her for years and have never been disappointed and this story is no exception.
Shotgun and Remington (how awesome are these names?) are amazing characters that have been thought a lot. I loved that their story wove together their past and the current issues but also how it made room for both the development of the romance but also the development of the characters themselves.
This story has grit and steamy but also real feelings and emotions. I connected to these two immediately and fell hard for them both. Along with the rest of the MC club this story rounds out into the most amazing read. I highly recommend it to readers who love "real" MC stories, character driven read and are looking to fall in love.
This is the second book in the Ruthless Sinners Series. Shotgun is a hard man the club enforcer. Life has been one loss after another so he doesn’t let himself get to close.
“I know it ain’t gonna be easy. Lord, I knows better dan anyone what hell yous been through, but da time’s come for you to stop holdin’ on to da past.”
Remington was in the wrong place at the wrong time and paid the price for it. Left for dead Shotgun finds her and saves her.
“I didn’t think it was possible that anything good could come from all of this, but I was wrong ... I found you.”
Emotionally reverting, dark gritty and sexy as heck. Two people from different worlds come together and complete each other.
“Yep, I knew I was gonna like her. That one right there is whiskey in teacup.”
A thrilling, captivating, invigorating, and enjoyable ride to go on with Shotgun and Remington. This little lady brought the big bad Enforcer to his knees. Shotguns’ protective nature emerged and nothing will stop him from taking care of Remington. This book has the perfect amount of action, suspense, intrigue, and of course romance. I loved every single second of this book. L. Wilder never ceases to amaze me.
Merged review:
A thrilling, captivating, invigorating, and enjoyable ride to go on with Shotgun and Remington. This little lady brought the big bad Enforcer to his knees. Shotguns’ protective nature emerged and nothing will stop him from taking care of Remington. This book has the perfect amount of action, suspense, intrigue, and of course romance. I loved every single second of this book. L. Wilder never ceases to amaze me.
Is it possible for the Enforcer for the Ruthless Sinners MC to play a Knight in Shining Armor for a woman left for dead in a dumpster behind one of their businesses? Shotgun/Noah took a chance and brought the near lifeless Remington back to the clubhouse. Finding out who did this to Remington is surprisingly leading back to the Ruthless Sinners MC.
I loved this book with its steam and suspense. The backstory on Shotgun was heartbreaking. The banter between the brothers was hilarious at times. Last but not least was the epilogue which was exceptional. I definitely recommend this book.
It's me, not you The H promised his love, at 19, when she died he would not love another, so he only had one night stands. But I prefer my hero's not to fight their feelings for the h like he did. It went on way too long and I don't want the h to go after the H. Like I said, it's me. There were a few other things that I don't care for but won't nit pick the book because it was good in general.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Ohhh...Shotgun...you poor broken soul! I really enjoyed getting into both of these two and Remington was great.
Together, found themselves and a realness.
It was at the 54% mark that these two got it on...but really I loved all the build up. It was a hottie, but not driven by sex alone. That was in keeping with both these characters. They were cautious with their hearts.
Can't wait for Rafe to fall hard...waiting on him and Viper!!!